Blikfang Art and Antiques

Blikfang, a Danish word meaning ‘a trap for the eye’ invites us to wonder what it is that we find visually exciting. Our everyday surroundings contribute immeasurably to our delight and sense of identity. It is all too easy to become complacent about a familiar environment, to stop ‘seeing’ our surroundings, forgetting how thrilling it can be to see something new. In a world saturated with images, where everything is accessible and consumed instantly, where the shocking no longer shocks and the beautiful has been despised, many have retreated into a void of empty, cleverly designed spaces. Personal space has become impersonal space, homes take on the aura of institutions. Suddenly prisons seem to embody all the ‘tasteful’ attributes: concrete floors, stainless steel fittings, no possessions, prim placement of furniture fixed in one configuration. Personality is hidden, frozen out. So many spaces seem to suffer from a withdrawal of affection. Instead of a home we have a laboratory of control.
Two ‘eye opening’ experiences remain: travel and art. The stimulation of travel opens our eyes to other cultures, while art allows us to explore states of mind without leaving home. With Blikfang Art and Antiques our focus is on providing an art-based home interior space where authentic objects, paintings, collector’s items and antiques are seen in a visually exciting space, with an emphasis on escaping the austere surroundings of many galleries. Blikfang Art and Antiques offers an expanded concept, art in association with furniture, sculpture reflected in antique mirrors, accumulations of objects fascinating and mysterious, the ephemeral persisting alongside the eternal, the shock of the old set against the gleam of the new. Always asking the question what it is that attracts the eye?
During the year we will be curating a small number of themed exhibitions, inviting artists to submit work for selection, and holding some of the artist’s work available for purchase. The areas featured are contemporary New Zealand art, New Zealand art photography, as well as ceramics and graphics from the 1950’s to 1960’s. While much of the work will be for sale, some items remain part of Blikfang Art and Antique’s permanent collection. By placing a permanent collection among available art and objects, Blikfang Art and Antiques becomes not only an outlet where you can acquire items for your collection, but also provides material for stimulating informative experiences.